Friday, March 06, 2009

Now, Where Was I?

Listen, before you say one word about how long it’s been since the last post please rest assured that I’ve already heard it all, in the form of six e-mails asking if I’m dead, two of them from relatives.

Not dead, not yet. Just traveling. And traveling takes the mickey out of me, because I have a congenital distaste for moving faster than a brisk walk. I know that’s old-fashioned and probably un-American, but tis true. Still, at least when I get off the plane there are usually knitters at the other end.

Of course, Ravelry has exploded the cozy myth that all knitters are sweet-tempered, needle-clicking buckets of love. We have now seen it demonstrated that some knitters are quarrelsome, small-minded nimrods who ought to have their heads held under water until the bubbles stop.

But in the past two weeks I haven’t met any of those knitters.

Y’all

North Carolina was a pleasure on every level–once we got there. Just for fun, Mother Nature dropped nine inches of snow on Chicago just before we were due to leave. Happily, in spite of a four-and-a-half hour delay, I made it to the shop with six minutes to spare before curtain time. I'm glad nobody expects me to be pretty when I show up.

Mary of Yarns, Etc. and Great Yarns (yes, she owns ’em both, and they’re both great shops) put together two splendid events–a talk on Saturday and a photography class on Sunday. Here’s my view from the table at the front of the room before the talk.

(Click to embiggen. Wide room, narrow blog.)

Now, what Yankee wandering far from home could be uncheered by a sight like that? There were so many lovely people I thought Yarn Harlot must be in town. You can see what I looked like from their angle here.

I wish I had taken a few pictures of the photography class. I was still a bit bleary-eyed, but fortunately since it was early Sunday morning, so were many of the students. But we pressed on, foraging deep into untapped talents and untouched camera manuals. We coaxed true colors out of blue yarns under fluorescent light. We built a light box. We found interesting angles hidden in plain socks. We were knitters with Ravelry accounts, and we would not be defeated.

After class, I was a wee bit peckish. The friendly natives at Great Yarns steered us in the direction of a Chapel Hill landmark called Mama Dip’s. And can I tell you something? I have eaten some lavish meals in some fancy places, yet I have never left a table feeling more deeply grateful for my taste buds than I did that fine, fine afternoon after pork chops, fried chicken, yams, black-eyed peas, hush puppies, fried green tomatoes, corn bread and biscuits. I shouldn’t have eaten two biscuits, though. I should have left room for the blueberry cobbler. Next time.

After that I spent a few days of working vacation in North Carolina at a hotel. A really nice hotel. A foo foo hotel. I would even go so far as to describe as foo foo foo–the sort of place I’ve never been before and won’t see again until the next time somebody else’s company foots the bill.

It was a hoot. Fabulous people watching, especially at lunch when I sat in the bar and played Count the Facelifts. The staff fell over themselves to be helpful, and spoke in hushed, truckling tones. After a while it made me slightly crazy. I finally told the lady who served the morning croissants to chill out, because I wasn’t anybody important. (She gave me an extra croissant.)

I got into a nice rhythm of early rising, a workout, and then several hours of solid work before lunch at a sunlit table in the lounge. The place was still as a tomb. I was only interrupted once, when a group of ladies who must have been looking for a place to hold a social function were brought through by an event planner.

Two of them marched up to me–I was working on the finished Parterre Scarf for the lace class–bent down to see my work, then looked at each other in puzzlement. “What on Earth?” said one to the other.

I opened my mouth to say something, but they had already walked away, shaking their heads.

I think instead of a harpist for their tea party, maybe they oughta hire a guy to sit in the corner and knit scarves.

Yinz

And thence almost immediately to Pittsburgh, a deeply underrated, beautiful city inhabited by people who have actually heard of the place I was born–it’s about an hour's drive south. The natives speak with the brogue that as a child I associated with my paternal relatives and the denizens of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

It was another talk-and-teach visit, talk on Saturday and teach on Sunday, both at Natural Stitches. Martha, the owner, said this was the shop’s first try at having a guest. I would never have known. She and the tip-top staff made me feel like a visiting crown prince with a predilection for Noro.

I hadn’t been to Pittsburgh in something like ten years, and it felt like old home week. Check out this trio.

I was greeted at the airport (and presented with the best brownies I've ever eaten) by the founder of the Dolores Devotees group on Ravelry, KnitNat (on the right). I finally met face-to-face one of the first Panopticon commenters ever, btpsmom (on the left). And there in the center is Melissa, who I first met three years ago on a Chicago public bus when we were on the way to hear Yarn Harlot speak at Arcadia Knitting. And now she works at Natural Stitches.

And then, just when it couldn't get any better–family! The actual kind, with the blood ties and the shared emotional baggage! Meet my Aunt Ev, my cousin Stephanie, and my cousin Eric.

It does not get any sweeter than having your own kin show up when you’re on the road. I encouraged all three of them to take up knitting. Aunt Ev is a lapsed crocheter, so she’s already got a toe in the water.

The nice people at the shop said they had a fantastic time. You can see for yourself, it's in writing. I did, too. May I come back, please?

I had to leave Pittsburgh way too soon, but not before taking a few minutes to peruse the kick-ass Mister Rogers' Neighborhood display in Terminal C. Why did I not think to take a picture? Take my word for it, when you see her in person Lady Elaine Fairchilde is a total dyke.

Meanwhile, I’ve made progress on several knitting fronts and do wish to share them, but I see this is already long entry. As Mister Rogers' own Henrietta Marie Pussycat would say, “Miaow miaow pressing PUBLISH now miaow miaow more soon miaow.”

Youse?

No, wait! One more thing! No, three more.

New additions to the calendar! I'm coming east! Philadelphia and New York City!

Here are the quick details.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Loop (1914 South Street)Friday, March 27: Signing (5–8 pm, free)Saturday, March 28: "Introduction to the History, Methods and Styles of Lace Knitting" (10 am–1 pm, $45)For more information or to register, call 215-893-9939.

You will have pots of wealth after all those classes, and obviously you have developed a taste for the good life. Come West, dear one. Specifically, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, a resort Mecca. Just one hour east of Spokane, Washington (which sports an international airport), if you so choose you can be surrounded in the fiber warmth of four tri-state spinning associations, wrapped up in some exotic local yarns, and photograph your heart out on our eagles, moose, and mountain goats. After indulging in huckleberries, local brews, or REAL Idaho potatoes (the ones we don't export), you may decide to super-glue your soles to our Paradise. We sit at the edge of the Rocky Mountain Bitteroots, on top of the largest sole-source aquifer in the world (GREAT drinking water, forget your bottle and turn on the tap). Vacation stops should include Art on the Green, Chef in the Forest, the Snakepit, and several more. Come but please don't tell anyone else--we don't have any tourists here, just friends.

I would love to see you come down to Tennessee... I might have to actually USE the knitting needles I have. :) I can deal with hooks MUCH better but I had knit and purl down years ago and I do have many sets of needles and some patterns. I just need to put the two together again I guess. :)

Yeah, Pittsburgh! My lovely though non-knitting kids who live there gave me for Christmas a couple of years ago a Lady Elaine puppet and and Henrietta Pussycat puppet. I grew up there and the kid got to like the place visiting Grandma many times. I'm glad you're home safe. I missed you, too.--Jenn

I watched Mr. Rogers today for the first time in thirty + years, through the eyes of my very own 6-yr.-old. As she is not yet as jaded as I, it was pretty entertaining. Especially since she's taking violin and Itzhak Perlman was the guest....

I will miss you in Philly by a matter of weeks but maybe you'll be out & about when I'm in Chicago in May?

Sister Mary Murgatroyd, there you are! I figured you had gone traipsing off into the wild blue yonder in search of the elusive hair of the mo. I was afraid you had become Harry Potter locked up in the cupboard under the stairs with nothing on but your skivvies and a pair of bent mismatched Boye needles and a skein of Red Heart because of something you said about her new spring outfit. It's good to see you are well and you got relatives to come visit you in your habitat.

So glad that you're home.. we know that you must go forth unto the wide world, but we miss you, and I, myself, being a neurotic mother, was starting to worry... you should take your lap top, would it kill you to check in? All we ask is that you call, let us know that you're not in an alley... oh sorry, I got carried away. The scarf is beau-ti-ful and if I had been one of the ladies in the lobby, it would have been "My God, it's Franklin Habit!, I just happen to have a pair of socks that I'm knitting on with me, could I join you? pretty please?

Finally! After missing you too many times in the Brunswick area and Chicago, it's time. Looking forward to seeing you at Knitty City. Wish I could have made it up to your photography class at Ellen's (Purl Diva), but a talk and signing at Knitty City works, too.

Ah, Franklin - I missed you in MT and now I'll miss you in NY. Of course, I don't live there but I have fond memories of my visit. Didn't get to yarn shop (probably a blessing in disguise) but I hear that Knitty City is a great shop. Did get to see a lady with one of their shopping bags as I rode the subway. *Sigh* Hope you have more great occasions as you travel about and spread the good news of knitting. Take care - Joe, in Wyoming. (BTW, Have I ever mentioned that Mr. Rogers and I may be related? If not, I'd gladly adopt him.)

How lovely that Natural Stitches is still doing its thing. The year I was in grad school, it was my... not LYS, because I wasn't a knitter then. I did my very first truly original embroidery design fueled by inspiration from the fibers they had in stock-- an amazing selection. Are they all knitting now, or still multi-craftual?

But, Prithee, please explain how DOES one coax the true colors of blue yarns out from under florescent lights?

Do tell. I must know.

If ever you come to the DC/Baltimore area, which I hope you do someday, I would LOVE a yarny photography class.

(wheelchair accessible a real plus.)

Case and point. Check out the photo of the blue hat on the main page of my blog (first photo in the slideshow). It's a lovely blue, except it's not really blue. It's more of a dark, teal-y, greeny blue, but I must have photographed that hat a thousand ways and not ONE photo shows its true colors. Sigh.

Damn!! While you're in NYC I'll be in the Hudson Valley sitting through a highschool production of The Music Man. God help me! Even though my daughter is in that production I'd rather knit and see you. Does that make me a bad mother or a theater snob?

I love blogger's new captchas. The word for today is "methrica". I'm not sure if that's a heavy metal band, a new drug, or a colonized planet in a science fiction novel. Or maybe it's my new internet name.

Anyway, I see Hedgehog Librarian beat me to what I was really going to say, but I'll say it anyway. Don't forget the huge metropolis of La Crosse, Wisconsin, right before Philly and New York. We're looking forward to it! (And you don't have to worry about overly foo-foo hotels....great cheese curds, though.)

Well, I had to google "yinz", but I got the "youse" right away. Up here in the Canadian Maritimes, we have a *lot* of Irish and Scottish descendants and they like to say things like "How you doin' now?" and "Are yuhz about ready to order?" and "So, you moved here from Ontario, like?" Now, NOT being from the Maritimes, my husband grits his teeth every time he hears this, but I kinda think it's cute!

Danielle in PEI

PS: I second missknit's invite - please come to Nova Scotia. We lub you up here.

Well, ok, I won't say a thing about how long you were gone, all the worry, the concern, the lost sleep. chellebelle thought you were in an alley. Me, I was worried about the third rail. I could just see it, the ball of cobweb wt yarn, silk merino, dropping out of your bag, you having to retrieve it...it was awful. Thanks heaven you were safe in NC.

Ahhhh, someone who'd like to conduct life at a civilized pace. I knew there was a reason I liked you. :)

I'd like to chime in on the request to be pointed toward the pattern for that lovely scarf. As a very new knitter, I'm scared to death of lace, but that looks....*doable*. As I'm from Minnesota, I can use a lovely, cuddly scarf to wear INDOORS, well, most of the year. It's either that we're keeping the heat down for economic/ecological reasons, or it's summer and I'm somewhere they have the AC cranked to just north of frigid, and I *always* have a draft on the back of my neck....

3 votes for you heading south out of Philly into Bawlmer or Merlin in general. We could enter Dolores in MD S&W. She'd bring a whole new meaning to the word "show ring." And "parade of sheep breeds." I'd offer to have you autograph my copy of It Itches, but it's been stolen be a neophyte knitter. She likes the cat.

Seriously. I know you posted about how to get you places, but it's bigger and wilder than Rhinebeck. Really. Not to be missed in this lifetime.

Some shop around here should sponsor ya! And we'd even take you to Blob's or Chick and Ruths.

Yinz and youse crossed the border into the part of ohio where I was raised. Of course, you also shopped at the Giant Iggle for you Dutch Loaf and chip-chopped ham and "warshed" your clothes in those parts.

Glad to see you back on the blog. You were missed. The sock pattern is lovely. I can't wait to see it finished

I was really wondering what had happened to you and was afraid that NC was somehow not blog-worthy. I had such fun meeting you. I've giggled lots over your book and can't wait for the next one. If your Philadelphia trip was not over the weekend of my girls' birthdays, I'd be tempted to kidnap Elizabeth and road trip up there. Thanks again for coming@

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